JPH11238363A - Moving image recording/reproducing device with retrieval function and moving image reproducing device with retrieval function - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To instantly retrieve program and scene to be seen by recording a moving image signal on an attachable/detachable first recording medium, forming a retrieval image signal reducing resolution from the moving image signal, recording it on an incorporated second recording medium and reproducing/displaying this retrieval image signal. SOLUTION: A moving image recording circuit 2 carries out required processing on the inputted moving image signal to impart it to an attachable/detachable medium driver 3, and records the moving image signal on the attachable/detachable first recording medium 4, and a moving image reproducing circuit 5 reproduces the moving image signal from the first medium 4. A retrieval image encoder 8 thins out a frame or a field at a prescribed interval from the inputted moving image to reduce time resolution. Further, quantization is roughened, and vertical/horizontal frequencies also are sampled to a half extent, and spacial resolution is reduced. The obtained image signal is high efficiency encoded to be recorded on an incorporated fixed recording medium 9. A retrieval image decoder 10 simultaneously reproduces the retrieval images of plural times on a division screen to facilitate the retrieval.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A device for recording and reproducing an input moving image signal on a removable recording medium such as a video tape or a video disk in order to efficiently store and reproduce an image. The present invention relates to an apparatus having a function for searching for a completed program.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There is a demand for a video tape recorder (VTR) or the like to quickly search for a recorded program to be viewed. VHS (registered trademark)
In a VTR of analog recording of a system or the like, if the tape running speed is higher than that of normal reproduction, noise increases but a high-speed reproduction image enough to grasp the image content can be obtained. The tape content can be searched by such a high-speed image search function. However, the movement from the beginning to the end of the winding of the tape requires a considerable amount of time. If there are a plurality of tapes and it is not clear on which tape the desired program is recorded, it is necessary to check the contents of all tapes.

<First Moving Image Recording / Reproducing Apparatus with Search Function> There is a method in which a memory is provided in a tape recorder to store recording information of a plurality of tapes in order to solve the above-mentioned inconvenience. This specific processing configuration is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-2174.
No. 8, "Video Tape Recorder". FIG. 6 shows the configuration of the device. An image signal such as NTSC input from the image signal input terminal 1 is converted into a video tape recording signal by the moving image recording circuit 2, and is recorded on the detachable medium (video tape) 4 by the detachable medium driver 3. At the time of reproduction, a signal read from the tape by the detachable medium driver 3 becomes a reproduced NTSC image signal by the moving image reproduction circuit 5, and is output from the image output terminal 7 via the switch 6.

On the other hand, the image signal coming from the image signal input terminal 1 is also supplied to a character information separator 51, where the information of the character multiplex broadcasting is separated from the synchronous part, and the program title and the like are extracted. The extracted program title becomes recording information together with the recording start time and the channel number recognized as the program reservation information. This recording information is stored in the SRAM attached to the microcomputer 52 built in the apparatus. Because it is SRAM
Even if the main power supply is turned off, the recorded contents are retained with a slight backup power supply. The recording information from the attached SRAM of the microcomputer 52 is displayed as a character image by the display screen generator 53. The recording information is stored for a plurality of tapes. The tape number can be recognized by the barcode attached to the tape cassette, and the contents of each tape can be displayed. Also,
By switching the display, the recording information of the unloaded tape can also be displayed, and the desired tape can be searched.

<Second Conventional Moving Image Recording / Reproducing Apparatus with Search Function> There is also a method of using a still image at the start of a program as recording information for search. One frame at the recording start point is extracted from the moving image and recorded as a still image for search at the beginning of the tape by the number of programs. By playing back the first part of the tape, it is possible to see the image of each recording start point in the tape. This will allow you to find the tape you want.

[0006]

The conventional recording apparatus with a search function uses a recording start time, a broadcast channel, a program name, and the like as recording information for search, so that storage of the desired program is clear. Otherwise, it is difficult to search. In many cases, the program name cannot be obtained automatically, in which case it is extremely difficult. Further, if the search target is not an individual program but an individual scene, such information is not useful.
On the other hand, what records a still image at the recording start point at the beginning of the tape or the like is a still image, so it is difficult to grasp the program contents. Only the loaded tape needs to be searched and the tape must be rewound. The present invention has been made by paying attention to the above points, and creates a search image from a recorded moving image signal or a reproduced moving image signal and records it in a built-in fixed storage medium, so that it is recorded on a plurality of removable media. It is an object of the present invention to provide a moving image recording / reproducing apparatus with a search function that enables a search image of a moving image to be obtained and enables a user to immediately search for a desired program or scene.

[0007]

According to the present invention, when a moving image signal is recorded on a first recording medium, the moving image signal is recorded on a detachable first recording medium, and the first recording is performed. A moving image recording / reproducing means for reproducing a signal recorded on a medium to obtain a reproduced moving image signal, and generating a search image signal having a lower resolution than those image signals from the moving image signal or the reproduced moving image signal Means for recording the search image signal on a second recording medium built in the apparatus,
And a reproduction / display means for reproducing and displaying the search image signal from the search image recording / reading means. In the moving image recording / reproducing apparatus with the search function, the search image recording / reading means switches the search image signals at different times in a short time and reads the search image signal at each time as one of divided screens. The search image of the time was displayed at the same time. In the moving image recording / reproducing apparatus with the search function, the search image recording / reading means is configured to detect the recorded search when the total code amount of the search image approaches the total capacity of the second recording medium for recording the search image. The frames or fields of the recorded search image are thinned out at predetermined intervals and erased according to the image deletion priority order.

[0008] In the moving image recording and reproducing apparatus with a search function,
The means for generating the search image signal may not include the search image immediately before the previous image and an image with a small image change as the search image, or the search image recording and reading means may include the search image and the image immediately before the previous search image. The search image with little change was not recorded. In the moving image recording / reproducing apparatus with a search function, the moving image recording / reproducing means records a new unique number on the first recording medium when the medium number does not exist on the attached first recording medium. I did it. In the moving image recording / reproducing apparatus with the search function, when recording a moving image on the first recording medium, a unique number of the moving image recording / reproducing apparatus is recorded. In the moving image recording / reproducing apparatus with a search function, search images are classified, and some of the search images are displayed on the reproduction display means only when a corresponding password is input. When reproducing a moving image signal from the first recording medium,
Moving image reproducing means for reproducing a signal recorded on the detachable first recording medium to obtain a reproduced moving image signal; and a retrieval image signal having a resolution lower than that of the reproduced moving image signal. A search image recording and reading means for recording the search image signal on a second recording medium built in the device, and reading the search image signal recorded on the second recording medium, And a reproduction / display means for reproducing and displaying the search image signal from the search image recording / reading means.

(Operation) In the present invention, a search image is created from a recorded moving image signal or a reproduced moving image signal, and the search image is recorded in a built-in fixed storage medium (second recording medium). A search image of a moving image recorded on the (first recording medium) is obtained as a high-speed search image. The high-speed search image is different from the recorded information and the still image, and the program or scene to be viewed can be searched immediately.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS <Embodiment of Moving Image Recording / Reproducing Apparatus with Search Function> An embodiment of a moving image recording / reproducing apparatus with a search function of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG.
This shows the configuration, and the same reference numerals are given to the same components as those in the conventional example of FIG. FIG. 1 shows a search image encoder 8 instead of the character information separator 51 of FIG. 6, a built-in fixed recording medium 9 instead of the microcomputer (SRAM) 52, and a search image decoder 10 instead of the character screen generator 53. There is.

<Recording and Reproduction of Moving Image> A moving image signal input from the image signal input terminal 1 of FIG. 1 is supplied to a moving image recording circuit 2 and a search image encoder 8. The moving image signal is NT
An analog signal such as an SC signal and a digital signal information compressed by MPEG2 or the like can be considered. The moving image recording circuit 2 is a circuit for converting an incoming moving image signal into a signal for recording on a removable medium, and the obtained recording signal is given to a removable medium driver 3. Specifically, in the case of analog recording, it is a signal processing circuit for color signal separation and low-frequency conversion. In the case of digital recording, if the incoming signal is compressed digital, signal processing for digital recording such as error correction code addition or EFM modulation is performed. If the incoming signal is analog or uncompressed digital, it is further represented by MPEG2 or the like. A motion-compensated inter-picture predictive coding process is added.

In the case of MPEG2, if the signal has a normal resolution, the average transfer rate is about 5 Mb / s. In the present invention, since a search image is separately provided as described later, MP
The independent frame in the case of encoding by EG2 is used only for refreshing, and its frequency may be less than that in a normal case. Since the number of independent frames is reduced, the transfer rate can be reduced accordingly. The detachable medium driver 3 records and reads a moving image signal for recording on a detachable recording medium (first recording medium) 4. At the time of recording, recording information such as recording date and time is also recorded in addition to the moving image signal. The read signal is supplied to the moving image reproducing circuit 5. The removable medium 4 allows a user to take out the medium from the drive and store it, and is a magnetic recording (video) cassette tape or an optical recording disk cartridge. In the case of digital recording, it has a recording capacity of 5 GB to 30 GB,
A moving image of about 1 hour to 10 hours is recorded in a book (sheet). The moving image reproducing circuit 5 in FIG. 1 performs the reverse processing of the moving image recording circuit 2, reproduces a signal read by the removable medium driver 3, and supplies the obtained moving image signal to the switch 6. The switch 6 is switched by a user, and is connected to the moving image reproducing circuit 5 for normal reproduction and to the search image decoder 10 for viewing a search image. The reproduced image is output via the image signal output terminal 7.

<Recording and Reproduction of Search Image> Next, processing of a search image, which is a feature of the present invention, will be described with reference to FIGS. The search image encoder 8 encodes a frame or a field thinned out from a moving image with high efficiency by processing within a frame or a field to create a search image code sequence. Here, if the encoding method of the search image is included in the moving image processing, the moving image decoder 15 (FIG. 2) can also advantageously decode the search image. For example, moving image processing is MPEG2
If this is the case, the search image encoding is to encode an I (Intra) frame of MPEG2. Specifically, 8 × 8 DCT (discrete cosine transform) or the like is used. Since the search image is for the purpose of comprehending the content, the reproduced image quality does not need to be as high as that of a normal image.Thus, frames or fields are thinned out at predetermined intervals to reduce the time resolution, coarse quantization, low frequency components, etc. Is taken out, or the spatial resolution is reduced by sub-sampling and encoding about half in both the vertical and horizontal directions. When the incoming signal is an MPEG2 code string, information of only a part of the DCT coefficients of the I frame is extracted and the data is reconstructed.

The image rate (the rate of thinning) of the search image is one frame in two seconds, and the code amount of one frame is 80 kbi.
t, the code rate is 40 kb / s (= 5 k
B / s), which is an information amount of about 1% of the moving image. Note that the code amount of each frame does not need to be constant, and control of the generated code amount is not necessarily required. here,
In addition to the search image, a recording time, a channel, a program name, and the like are also generated and recorded along with the search image, as in the conventional example.

Built-in fixed recording medium (second recording medium) 9
Records and reproduces a code string of a search image. At the time of recording,
In addition to the search image, the same recording information as the conventional example, such as the recording date and time, the channel, and the program name, is also added to the search image and recorded. Search images and recording information are recorded and handled for a plurality of removable media, and a library of owned tapes (disks) is configured. Specifically, a recording / playback control circuit and an HDD (Hard Di
sc Drive). The necessary capacity is that the recording time of one detachable recording medium is 2 hours, and if the search image rate corresponds to 10 recording times, the total code amount is 3.6 GB. This is almost similar to the capacity of one HDD normally used in a personal computer or the like. The recording medium is HDD
Instead, a semiconductor memory or other storage device may be used, but a device having a higher access speed than a removable recording medium is desired. The search image decoder 10 performs a reverse process of the search image encoder 8, obtains a reproduced image of a frame or a field, and supplies the reproduced image to the switch 6. Naturally, still images are displayed, but search images are also displayed with some frames dropped, so that reproduced images are held until the next image is reproduced. If the encoding of the search image is a part of the moving image processing, the moving image reproducing circuit 5 can also serve as the search image decoder 10.

<Recording Moving Image Signal on Fixed Recording Medium> A case where a moving image signal is also recorded on a fixed recording medium will be described with reference to FIG. The fixed recording medium (second recording medium) 22 may record not only a search image but also a moving image signal.
Since the fixed recording medium 22 can be accessed at a high speed, a desired program can be immediately reproduced in this case. However, since the recording capacity is limited, when a new program is recorded beyond the capacity, the old program is deleted. If the program is simultaneously recorded on the removable recording medium 4, the deleted program is also stored. In this case, the built-in fixed recording medium 22 differs from the case of FIG.
Both the search image and the moving image are recorded. When a signal is present on the fixed recording medium 22 by the switch 21, the moving image is reproduced from the fixed recording medium 22. When the signal is not present, the switch 21 is switched to reproduce the moving image from the removable medium 4. The moving picture encoder 12 and the moving picture decoder 15 form a digital signal processor corresponding to the built-in fixed recording medium 22.

<Creation of Search Image from Recorded Medium> A case in which another recording / reproducing apparatus reproduces a recorded removable medium 4 will be described below with reference to FIGS. When reproducing the already recorded detachable medium 4 with another recording / reproducing device,
A search image may be created and recorded on the fixed recording medium 9 simultaneously with the reproduction. In this case, the configuration in FIG.
And a switch 31 is added. The input to the search image encoder 8 is a signal in which the input image signal and the reproduction image signal are selected by the switch 31. When the search image is generated while reproducing, the reproduction moving image output from the moving image reproduction circuit 5 It becomes an image. When the moving image and the search image are digital signals of a common format, the search image can be obtained by directly converting not the decoded image but the code string. If there is recording information, it is also read out and recorded on the fixed recording medium 9 at the same time. This is a function that is impossible in the conventional example, and it is possible to incorporate commercially available software into its own library, and to transfer the library when the recording device is replaced. Further, the moving image reproducing apparatus with a search function for exclusively creating the search image may have the configuration shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is different from FIG.
There is no switch 31 and no image input, and the reproduced moving image signal output of the reproducing circuit 5 is directly supplied to the search image encoder 8. The operation of the same components as in FIG. 3 is the same as in FIG. 3, and a description thereof will be omitted.

<Display of Search Image> A method of displaying a search image will be described with reference to FIG. Since the search image is about one frame (field) every two seconds, it is held in the image buffer of the search image decoder for about 0.1 second for display. In this case, the search image is a 20 × speed search image of 10 frames per second, and a sufficiently smooth movement and speed can be obtained as the search image. Although the search image may be displayed on the entire screen, a plurality of search images are divided into screens and simultaneously displayed as shown in FIG. 5 in order to increase search efficiency. If the recording time of one detachable medium is 2 hours, the display is divided into six in 20-minute units from 0 minutes, 20 minutes, and 40 minutes. If each is a 20x search, 1
You can see an overview of all images in minutes. It should be noted that a 120-times search is performed if the user tries to view the contents in one minute without dividing the screen, which results in an extremely dynamic movement. Also,
The recording information is displayed according to the search image. In this case, assuming that the search image is one field without sub-samples, decoding processing for 60 fields is performed per second, and the same decoding processing capability as that of a moving image is required. The built-in fixed recording medium 9 reads out six types of code strings in a time-division manner while accessing at high speed.

<Thinning of Search Image> Since the recording capacity of the built-in fixed recording media 9 and 22 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 is limited, if the information amount of the search image corresponding to one removable medium is fixed, The number of removable media that can be searched will be limited. On the other hand, when the information amount of the search image is expected to exceed the recording capacity, the number of corresponding media can be increased by reducing the information amount of the search image. Since the search image is independent information in a frame or a field, thinning out does not affect other search images. If the search images that existed every two seconds are thinned every four seconds, it is possible to handle twice as many removable media. As a more rational thinning method, the recorded search images are thinned according to preset conditions, for example, in order from the one with the lowest possibility of being searched. Specifically, a removable medium (program) with an old recording date and a small number of searches is preferentially thinned out. The thinning method is not a simple thinning method, but may be a difference from the previous frame or field. If the total frame of the absolute value difference is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value, the frame may be deleted. In this case, the amount of thinning can be controlled by changing the predetermined value. Further, such motion adaptive thinning may be deleted at the time of recording, instead of being deleted later. On the other hand, for a removable medium that does not need to be searched for, the search image may be deleted by manual operation.

<Recording of Unique Number> As a means for identifying the unique (solid identification) number of the tape cassette, there is a method of sticking a bar code or a magnetic code sticker shown in a conventional example to a cassette case. You need to do it. On the other hand, the repetitive writing of numbers into the synchronization signal portion and the auxiliary recording portion of the tape recording format is automatically performed by the device. However, it is necessary to enter a number or the like in the medium case in order to immediately take out the target recording medium. In the case of a disc, a unique number is written in a TOC (Table Of Contents) which is always read when the disc is loaded. When storing the recording medium separately from the apparatus, it is necessary to write the number in the medium case like a tape, but when using an autochanger, it is sufficient to put it in a predetermined position. When the unique number is recorded in the unrecorded medium in advance, it is not necessary to newly record the unique number, and it is sufficient to recognize and use the unique number. In addition, a unique number of the recording device is recorded on the removable recording medium (first recording medium). In this way, when there are a plurality of recording devices, the recording device to which the recording device belongs can be identified, and recording and reproduction can be performed only by a specific recording device. The unique number of the recording device is the manufacturer number,
It consists of a model number and a set serial number.

<Search Image Display Lock> The search image display lock will be described below. When the library includes a program for adults or the like, even if there is no removable medium on which the program is recorded, there is a possibility that the child will see the search image. Therefore, instead of enabling all the search images to be displayed immediately, a key (parental lock) is applied to the display. Specifically, the display image is divided, and unless a relatively long section number (personal identification number) of about 6 digits is input, the search image of that section is not displayed. Also, if it is necessary to always enter a number, it indicates that there is a hidden area. Therefore, when a predetermined button operation (hidden command) that is not normally operated can input a number and does not operate a hidden command Displays only unrestricted search images. This function can be used not only for parental lock but also for personal library creation and the like. Also, a user number (name) and a password can be recorded on a removable medium instead of a search image, and viewing and recording can be restricted to a specific user.

[0022]

According to the present invention, a search image is created from a recorded moving image signal and is recorded on a built-in fixed storage medium, so that the search image of the contents recorded on a plurality of removable media can be used as a high-speed search image. Obtained and, unlike still images,
Programs and scenes you want to watch are immediately searchable. Since the search images are displayed on different screens at different times, the target program or image can be determined early. Since the search images are thinned out according to the degree of importance, image content, and the like, even if the number of removable recording media increases, it can be handled. The image quality of the search is rational according to the necessity of the search. Since the unique number of the removable recording medium and the unique number of the recording device are automatically recorded, the medium can be easily managed, and a removable recording medium on which a program to be viewed is recorded can be obtained immediately. By providing a section that requires input of a number to classify and display search images, it is possible to lock the display (parental lock) or form a personal library.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a first embodiment of a moving image recording / reproducing apparatus with a search function according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration of a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state of a search image display of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a conventional moving image recording / reproducing apparatus with a search function.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 image input terminal 2 moving image recording circuit 3 removable medium driver 4 removable recording medium (first recording medium) 5 moving image reproducing circuit 6, 21, 31 switch 7 image output terminal 8 search image encoder 9, 22 built-in fixed Recording medium (second recording medium) 10 Search image decoder 12 Video encoder 15 Video decoder 51 Text information separator 52 Microcomputer (SRAM) 53 Text screen generator

Claims (8)

[Claims] When recording a moving image signal on a first recording medium, the moving image signal is recorded on the detachable first recording medium,
Moving image recording / reproducing means for reproducing a signal recorded on the first recording medium to obtain a reproduced moving image signal; and a resolution reduced from the image signal from the moving image signal or the reproduced moving image signal. Means for creating a search image signal; and a search image recording and reading means for recording the search image signal on a second recording medium built in the apparatus and reading the search image signal recorded on the second recording medium. A moving image recording and reproducing apparatus with a search function, comprising: reproducing means for reproducing and displaying a search image signal from the search image recording and reading means. 2. The moving image recording / reproducing apparatus with a retrieval function according to claim 1, wherein the retrieval image recording / reading means switches and reads retrieval image signals at different times in a short time, and the reproduction display means comprises: A moving image recording / reproducing apparatus with a search function, wherein a search image for a plurality of times is simultaneously displayed as one of divided screens of a read search image signal at each time. 3. The moving image recording / reproducing apparatus with a search function according to claim 1, wherein the search image recording / reading means is configured to reduce a total code amount of the search image to a total capacity of the second recording medium for recording a search image. A moving image recording / reproducing apparatus with a search function, wherein, when approaching, a frame or a field of the recorded search image is deleted at a predetermined interval and erased according to a preset condition. 4. A moving image recording / reproducing apparatus with a search function according to claim 1, wherein the means for generating a search image signal does not use an image having a small image change from the immediately preceding search image as a search image. Alternatively, the search image recording and reading means does not record a search image having a small image change with respect to the immediately preceding search image in time. 5. The moving image recording / reproducing device with a search function according to claim 1, wherein the moving image recording / reproducing means is configured to output the first recording medium when the mounted first recording medium does not have a medium unique number. A moving image recording / reproducing apparatus with a search function, wherein a new unique number is recorded on the recording medium. 6. The moving image recording / reproducing device with a search function according to claim 1, wherein a unique number of the moving image recording device is recorded when the moving image is recorded on the first recording medium. Video recording / reproducing device with search function. 7. The moving image recording / reproducing apparatus with a search function according to claim 1, wherein the search images recorded on the second recording medium are divided, and at least a part of the search images is input with a corresponding personal identification number. A moving image recording / reproducing device with a search function, wherein the moving image recording / reproducing device is displayed on the reproducing / displaying means only when it is performed. 8. A moving picture reproducing means for reproducing a moving picture signal from a first recording medium and reproducing a signal recorded on said first recording medium to obtain a reproduced moving picture signal. Means for creating, from the reproduced moving image signal, a search image signal having a resolution lower than that of the image signal; and recording the search image signal on a second recording medium built in the apparatus, A retrieval image recording / reading means for reading the retrieval image signal recorded on a recording medium; and a reproduction / display means for reproducing and displaying the retrieval image signal from the retrieval image recording / reading means. Video playback device with functions.